When we think of planets, we may think of distant glimmering orbs suspended in the night time sky. Dr. Alex Webb’s Geology class, “The Evolution of Terrestrial Planets,” at Louisiana State University takes us closer to those celestial spheres, charting the geology and landscapes of planetary surfaces – particularly Venus. Because these student editors share their knowledge on Wikipedia, we can all better understand, and imagine, the landscapes of other worlds.
Dr. Webb created this article on the surface features of Venus. It describes volcanoes, channels, plains, and a landscape feature unique to Venus, the Tessera. Tessera are tectonically deformed, tall terrain. A student editor in this course, User:Sjoh197, created a beautiful, illustrated page detailing theories of how this terrain came to be.
Other fascinating articles on Venusian terrain include Lada Terra, Ovda Regio, the Chaaz-Camaxtli Region, and the Ganiki Chasma.
Student editors also contributed articles that contribute to the understanding of planetary geology. These include a clear article explaining the creation of secondary craters, and the Zamama volcano on a moon of Jupiter.
